Categories
Meetings

Environmentalist to address mining issue

Linda Carr Muller, chair of the Rappahannock Group of The Sierra Club, will speak to the Lake of the Woods Democratic Club on Nov. 15 on a proposal expected to go before the General Assembly in January to lift a three-decade-long ban on uranium mining in the state.

The ban went unchallenged until recently, when the cost of uranium began to rise and the uranium industry began to lobby state legislators to allow mining operations throughout Virginia.

Twelve thousand acres of land from Orange County north through Fauquier County have been identified as potential mining sites.

Virginia residents have expressed concern about the dangers uranium mining poses to drinking water, air quality, farm products, fishing and tourism. They say allowing mining of the one uranium deposit already identified would open the door for exploration of other sites across the state. Almost all of Virginia’s major cities have passed resolutions to oppose lifting the ban.

Orange County is among the local governments that has asked that the moratorium not be lifted.

The meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the lower level of the LOW Clubhouse. As always, guests are welcome without regard to political affiliation.

Ms. Muller served as vice chair of the Rappahannock Group from 2006 to 2010 and has been legislative contact team leader for the Virginia League of Conservation Voters from 2001 to the present for the 28th legislative districts. She is a former board member of Friends of the Rappahannock and former chair of the Stafford Democratic Committee.

Ms. Muller is an avid outdoor enthusiast and shares a deep concern for Virginia’s natural environment. She enjoys nature photography, hiking, fishing and recently returned from a summit attempt of Mt. Rainier in Washington state with her husband.

Those who would like to become more familiar with this important topic are encouraged to visit these Web sites:

Categories
Meetings

Schapiro sees Virginia politics as they are

Jeff Schapiro, political writer and columnist for The Richmond Times-Dispatch presented a delightful explication of politics in the Old Dominion, involving history, statistics and humor at the club’s meeting on Oct. 18.
Categories
Campaigns

The “O, Cantor, Where Art Thou?” tour

Poster for the event

Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley and the clinch Mountain Boys will rally for Wayne Powell, candidate for the U.S. Congress from Virginia’s 7th District with a series of appearances next week.

Stanley will be joined by his son, Ralph 2, and grandson Nathan, at a rallies around the district on Oct. 23 and 24.

Stanley is considered one of the grandfathers of modern bluegrass music; he and his brother Carter started playing publicly in the 1940s and 1950s, and after Carter’s death, Stanley pushed forward alone, with the Clinch Mountain Boys. More recently, Stanley helped spark a resurgence of interest in the bluegrass genre with his performance on the soundtrack of the 2000 movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou.”

The Powell rallies have been dubbed the “O Cantor Where Art Thou” tour, and the Powell campaign says they’ll focus on economic issues in the race.

Powell, a Democrat and Richmond attorney in his first political race, is waging an uphill battle against well-funded House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor, the man more responsible than anyone else for the failure of Congress to deal with the nation’s problems.

The two have had one raucous debate, and Powell has been vocal in criticizing Cantor’s policies, his leadership of the House of Representatives, and his connections to lobbyists.

This is going to be fun and informative,” Powell said in a press release. “Since Eric Cantor doesn’t spend much, if any, time with the people in the district, I think that the barnstorm title, O Cantor, Where Are Thou? is perfect.”

Powell campaign strategist Dave “Mudcat” Saunders has a history of using bluegrass music to help his Democratic candidates appeal to rural voters. In the 2001 governor’s race, Saunders wrote a bluegrass campaign theme song for Mark Warner and hired a band to perform it at campaign stops.

The rallies with Stanley are as follows:

October 23rd, 2012:

  • Gordonsville,  7 p.m. – The Magnolia Farm, 17452 Lovers’ Ln.

October 24th 2012:

  • Ashland, 8:30 a.m. – Ashland Coffee and Tea Company, 100 N. Railroad Ave. Hot breakfast provided.
  • Culpeper, Noon – The Depot, 109 Commerce St. Hamburgers and hot dogs provided.
  • Mineral, 2 p.m. – Walton Park on E. 5th St.
  • Goochland, 4 p.m. – White Hawk Music Cafe, 1940 Sandy Hook Rd.
  • Glen Allen, 7 p.m. – Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen 2880 Mountain Rd., Concert
Categories
Club activities

Voter registration deadline

Today is the deadline to register as a voter if you intend to vote in the Nov. 6 election.

Categories
Club activities

Election Day

Be sure to go to the polls and help others get to the polls.